Ernest G. Soland, age 91, of Decorah, IA, died Sunday morning, July 15, 2012 at Wellington Place in Decorah, IA.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, with Rev. Mark Kvale officiating. Burial will be in Washington Prairie Lutheran Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 P.M. Tuesday, July 17 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Wednesday one hour before the service at the church.
Ernest Gilbert Soland was born on September 27, 1920 in Decorah, Iowa, the son of Embert and Louise (Arness) Soland. He attended Red Oak Country School and Decorah High School.
Ernest was united in marriage to Julia Halverson on December 31, 1943 at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Decorah. This union was blessed with three children: James, Joan and Mark.
He lived and farmed on the home farm his entire life. It is a Century Farm. He worked for farmers in the area and worked on the Nordness Telephone Lines.
Ernest ran Horseshoe Tournaments at the Winneshiek County Fair and the Nordic Fest. He loved baseball and played for Nordness and Ossian. He enjoyed bowling, checkers and horseshoes. He was a hunter, trapper and fisherman. He coached 4-H softball and served as Trustee, janitor, gravedigger and on the Board of Education at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. He made clocks from corn planter plates and he made hundreds of bluebird houses, which hang all around the county.
Ernest was admitted into Wellington Place in Decorah on May 25, 2012.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, James Ernest Soland on August 14, 2002; and two brothers, Robert and Donald Soland.
Ernest is survived by his wife Julia; one daughter, Joan Landenberger of Denver, IA; one son, Mark (Rhonda Boe) Soland of Decorah; one daughter-in-law, Yvonne Soland of Kaukauna, WI; ten grandchildren: Brittney (Richard) Dupuis of Eugene, Oregon, Mandy (Jeff) Quick of Appleton, WI, Danielle Soland of Appleton, WI, Joshua Soland of Kaukauna, WI, Zachary Soland of Kaukauna, WI, Calli Landenberger of Denver, IA, Nikki Landenberger of West Des Moines, IA, Heather (Dave) Ollendick of Lime Springs, IA, Jason (Jennifer) Soland of Decorah, IA and Travis (Kristin) Soland of Onalaska, WI; eight great-grandchildren: Austin Dupuis, Reece Dupuis, Jonathan Berland, Michael Ollendick, Olivia Ollendick, Erica Ollendick, Landon Soland and Peyton Soland; one sister, Lucille (Robert) Reed of Galesburg, IL; two brothers, Norman (Ann) Soland of Riverdale, UT and Eugene (Wanda) Soland of Kasson, MN; four sisters-in-law: June Soland of Sigourney, IA, Margaret Soland of East Wenatchee, WA, Elsie Haugen and Dorothy Halverson of Decorah; and by numerous nieces and nephews.
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